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Team Chevelle Gold Member #63
Steve Courter
"I am just going to go with a friend, to look at an SS hood for his 70 SS" I told my wife. Well, that's how it all started. The owner of the hood also had a 70 SS El Camino sitting in the corner of his garage and yes it was for sale. I didn't know this before we got there. I looked it over as best I could and we struck a deal. I have always liked El Caminos and always wanted an SS. I was pretty excited even though it had no engine or transmission and needed a lot of work. When I got home I had this big grin on my face as I described my purchase to my wife, and how little it would take to fix it up. RIGHT!!! She just nodded and let me ramble on and on.
Three days later when I trailered it home she just dropped her head and shook it in disbelief as she surveyed the sorry looking remains.
Others who came over to look at it had the same reaction, so I quickly unloaded it and hid it in my shop. Over the next few days I took a good look at the Camino to make a full assessment and determine a course of action. WOW! I was not pleased. It was in much worse shape than I thought. This was not going to be an easy task. I gave some serious thought to junking it out and selling parts. But I hated to have to admit I made a bad purchase so I decided to see what I could do with it.
I removed the body from the frame and had the frame and underside of the body sandblasted. I painted the frame and stored it away. I then tackled the body which involved: replacing the floor pans and braces, repairing the rusted lower cowl, replacing the entire bed floor and support channels, replacing both rear quarter panels, reskinning one door and repairing the other, repairing roof rust, replacing inner and outer rear wheel wells and fixing a myriad of other dented and rusted parts.
I had found a suitable engine and transmission and installed them in the chassis and then put the body back on it. I restored the interior using PUI interior kit in black. I replaced the front and rear springs and added new gas shocks along with BF Goodrich radial tires on stock restored SS rims. It took over three years to complete but it has been worth it to hear all the positive comments and to have the people, who made the snide remarks about it in the beginning, eat their words. I did all the work myself including the paint with two exceptions. I turned to the installation of the headliner and the vinyl top over to a professional, Dale Dawson, owner of LA Trim in Lowell, Mi. I did have some help and support form a couple of friends Mark Craig and Brian Wilcox.
I sure do like that Big Block power!
Car:
70 El Camino SS 396 350 HP
Cranberry Red BC/CC with black stripes
Black bucket seat interior with console
Drive Train:
71 402 Cid
270 Comp Cam hydralic
Mallory Unilite dist.
MSD 6a
Edelbrock Performer Intake
750 cfm Holley
Hooker ceramic coated headers
2.5" Exhaust with super turbo mufflers
Muncie m20 4 speed with Hurst Comp plus shifter
Stock 3:31 posi rear and traction bars
A photo background of Steve's El Camino is available HERE.
Team Chevelle would love to feature your Car on one of our future monthly articles.
To take part, send a few quality pictures to us and as much information as you can (we LOVE reading about Chevelles!)
Note: preference is given to submitted photos, unless you have access to high quality scanning equipment, we would prefer to do the image work and touch-ups.
or: Al McKenzie, Box 231, Creston, B.C. Canada, V0B-1G0
